In addition to creating a health emergency, the epidemic has further imperiled the battered global economy. Stock markets and international oil prices have fallen as swine flu continues to spread. In 2008, the World Bank predicted that a worldwide pandemic could cost $3 trillion and cause world gross domestic product to shrink by 5 percent.

China's reaction

As of April 28, no swine flu cases had been found in China. The Chinese Government has deployed preventative and precautionary measures to safeguard public health as well as social stability. At a meeting on April 28, the State Council decided to establish a reporting system. In addition, the government is requiring related departments to strengthen monitoring of pneumonia and flu cases with unknown causes. If a suspected swine flu case appears, the public will be notified as soon as possible, the government says.

On April 25, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ) issued an emergency notice, requiring people to report flu-like symptoms at the point of entry or at a quarantine station when returning from affected regions. China's Ministry of Health also issued a notice on April 26 about disease prevention and detection. The ministry said that although there is no vaccine yet, the disease is still preventable, controllable and treatable.

The ministry is cooperating with the Ministry of Agriculture and GAQSIQ to monitor the disease. China is also ready to cooperate with the WHO and the U.S. and Mexican governments in sharing updated information and preparing for a possible outbreak. The Chinese Government has offered a helping hand to Mexico based on its experience conquering SARS.

Points of entry like Shanghai, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Hainan have started body temperature testing on every traveler, especially those from America. According to a regulation aimed at swine flu prevention, once a suspected swine flu case is discovered, the infected patient and anyone who has had contact with the patient will be subject to an isolated treatment or a seven-day quarantine period.

"China certainly has the capability and technology to detect and prevent swine flu from entering the country," said Li Huailin, Director of the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, which is assisting the government.

According to the notice from the Ministry of Health, so far there is no evidence that this flu can be spread through food, and cooked pork remains safe to eat because cooking temperatures kill the virus. The pork industry has suffered nonetheless. According to a report in Economic Information Daily, some pork vendors in Beijing's Xinfadi agricultural wholesale market have seen sales fall by up to one third. Some consumers say they would rather stop eating pork until the swine flu danger has passed.

Chinese experts have different opinions on whether the disease will harm domestic pig production and sales, according to the report.

Professor Tao Jianping from Huazhong Agriculture University said the epidemic could hurt pork exports as well as domestic consumption.

Gao Qinghui, a senior economist with the State Information Center, was more optimistic. He argued that most people would maintain their current pork consumption and that prices would remain stable. Besides, the center of the epidemic is in the Americas, which is very far away, and most cases are transmitted from human to human. The public can also take comfort in the fact that countries throughout the world, including China, have taken serious preventative measures to contain the disease as much as possible.

China Offers Humanitarian Aid to Mexico Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu announced the government's decision to provide Mexico with humanitarian aid on April 29 in Beijing. The Chinese Government has offered $5 million in emergency humanitarian aid to help the Mexican Government fight the swine flu epidemic. The package includes $1 million in aid and $4 million in supplies. (Source: Chinese Foreign Ministry)